Birmingham, AL — New coach Melvin Spears' recipe for Alcorn State football success: Something old (Marino Casem's old-school fundamentals) and something new (Brandon Bridge, Alcorn's 18-year-old sophomore quarterback).
Spears talked about both Casem and Bridge at length here Tuesday during SWAC Football Media Day in downtown Birmingham. Spears played for Casem, known as The Godfather of the SWAC, from 1978 to 1982. During that time, Alcorn won one SWAC championship and had four winning seasons.
"We played Alcorn football, Godfather football," Spears said. "We were fundamentally sound. We played hard and practiced hard Monday through Thursday and then Saturday took care of itself. That's what we want to bring back."
But Spears, a wide receiver at Alcorn, never played with a teammate with the skills of Bridge, the Canadian who is nicknamed Air Canada. Bridge threw for more than 2,600 yards and 26 touchdowns as a freshman when Alcorn finished 5-6.
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Showing posts with label Coach Melvin Spears. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Coach Melvin Spears. Show all posts
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Jury: Grambling State owes Coach Spears nearly $600,000
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| Alcorn State Coach Melvin Spears |
Spears, who guided Grambling to the Southwestern Athletic Conference and black college national titles in 2005, was named head football coach at Alcorn State University earlier this year.
“It’s a great opportunity to be vindicated. I’m elated,’’ Spears, 51, said of the verdict by a jury of nine men and three women.
The panel voted unanimously to award Spears $449,500 for breach of employment contract and tacked on $11,000 in penalty wages and $139,000 in attorneys’ fees.
Spears wins lawsuit against Grambling State
Baton Rouge, LA — Former Grambling State head football coach Melvin Spears Jr. was awarded nearly $600,000 by a jury that ruled the school breached his contract when he was fired in 2006.
Spears had a five-year contract when the university believed it could fire him with cause after the third season due to an NCAA investigation. However, the NCAA didn't find any major violations.
Spears, who was 20-14 at Grambling State and led the Tigers to Southwestern Athletic Conference and black college national titles in 2005, was named head coach at Alcorn State, also a SWAC school, earlier this year.
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Thursday, March 24, 2011
Alcorn State Braves Releases 2011 Football Schedule
The Alcorn State Brave football schedule for the upcoming 2011 season is official with the Braves playing ten opponents and four of these games are being played in Jack Spinks Stadium in Alcorn State, MS.
The Braves are opening up the season September 3, 2011 against Grambling State in the Port City Classic in Shreveport, LA at 6:00 PM. In the past this was known as the Red River Classic. The Braves are the home team in the battle against the G-Men.
The Braves will come home to face in- state rival Mississippi Valley State on the 17th at 4:00 PM in the first home opener at Jack Spinks Stadium.
The Braves will go on the road for two straight games, facing defending SWAC champion Texas Southern on the 24th in Houston at 1:00 PM and Alabama State on October 1st in Montgomery.
Homecoming will be October 22nd, after two straight open weekends, hosting Concordia College at 2:00 PM. The Braves will close out October by facing Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA at 6:00 PM, on the 29th.
The Braves play two straight at home opening up November against Alabama A&M on the 5th at 2:00 PM and then hosting Prairie View on the 12th, also now tentatively scheduled for 2:00 PM.
The Braves will close out the regular season by meeting arch rival Jackson State on the 19th in the Capital City Classic scheduled for 1:00PM in Jackson, MS.
ASU 2011 Football Schedule
9/3, vs. Grambling State,Port City Classic, Shreveport, LA 6 p.m.
9/10 at Arkansas Pine Bluff, Pine Bluff, AR, 6 p.m.
9/17 vs. Mississippi Valley State, HOME, 6 p.m.
9/24 at Texas Southern, Houston, TX, 1 p.m.
10/1 at Alabama State, Montgomery, AL
OPEN
10/22 vs. Concordia College, HOMECOMING, 2 p.m.
10/29 at Southern, Baton Rouge, LA, 6 p.m.
11/5 vs. Alabama A&M, HOME, 2 p.m.
11/12 vs. Prairie View A&M, HOME, 2 p.m.
11/19 at Jackson State, Capital City Classic, Jackson, MS, 1 p.m.
Notes: All HOME games played at Jack Spinks Stadium
By Alcorn State Media Relations
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Spears hires Green, Brown leaves Alcorn
Vyron Brown, recently tabbed by Spears as the Braves’ new offensive coordinator, has left Alcorn and will be returning to Grambling State to be with newly named coach Doug Williams.LORMAN, MS — Alcorn State head football coach Melvin Spears has hired 2002 Alcorn State graduate Louis Green as the linebacker and special teams coach.
Green played for Alcorn coach Johnny Thomas from 1998-2002 as a linebacker. He played high school football at Jefferson County High and lettered in track and field and basketball as well.
After finishing at Alcorn, he played in the National Football League for the Baltimore Ravens and the Denver Broncos. He was with the Broncos from 2004-2009 when he was a linebacker and also played on special teams. He won the Ed Black Courage Award while with the Broncos and was in the National Youth Program at Alcorn for four years.
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Friday, January 21, 2011
Local Alcorn fans’ reactions to hiring of Melvin Spears positive
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| ASU Braves Coach Melvin Spears |
“He’s a product of our university and has tremendous experience, being out of school for 28 years,” Houze said. “He was a SWAC title and black college national championship (when he coached at Grambling State). He’s a proven winner.”
Spears comes to Alcorn after serving as offensive coordinator at Alabama State for the past two seasons. Houze said Spears’ years of experience in the SWAC will play to his advantage at Alcorn, especially in recruiting athletes to play for the Braves.
Spears' goal: Entertain you
His eyes hidden behind black sunglasses, his body draped in a khaki suit, Melvin Spears gave Alcorn State fans on Wednesday what he hopes to put on the football field this fall: An entertaining show. During a 20-minute voice-raising, fist-pounding speech, Alcorn's new coach didn't hide his brash, sometimes cocky, persona.
In fact, the former Alcorn receiver and Grambling State head coach let his audacious aura take center stage in front of about 100 purple-clad fans - all crammed into a meeting room at the downtown Jackson Marriott hotel.
He was confident - "We're going to win these games," Spears said. He was bold - "Alcornites ... we've always been the best," he said. He was loud - "This is my house! This is our house!" Spears yelled to them.
And, he's prepared to amuse - "Our task is to come in on Saturdays and entertain you. That's what it's all about. It's about showtime," he said.
Videographer: chicagomarchingbands
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LINK: ASU BRAVES SPORTS
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Alcorn State picks Melvin Spears as new football coach
Melvin Spears is returning to Alcorn State.Spears, the former Alcorn receiver and Grambling State head coach, has been selected as the Braves new football coach, Spears’ family and friends confirmed to The Clarion-Ledger late Tuesday night. Spears and Alcorn administrators did not return multiple phone messages Tuesday.
Spears’ selection ends a three-week long search to replace Earnest Collins, who left after two years to lead his alma mater, Northern Colorado
Spears’ selection ends a three-week long search to replace Earnest Collins, who left after two years to lead his alma mater, Northern Colorado
Hornets' OC Spears takes Alcorn State job
Alabama State head coach Reggie Barlow is looking for another offensive coordinator. Melvin Spears, who helped the Hornets generate enough offense to win the SWAC East Division title this past season, accepted a job on Tuesday night to become the head football coach at Alcorn State.
An announcement will be made at a formal news conference today in Lorman, Miss.
"It's a major blow," Barlow admitted. "One of the reasons we brought coach Spears in was his experience. Me being a younger guy, I wanted as many guys with experience as possible. He can talk about the traditions with the players, he can talk about the conference with the players, he can talk about what teams are going to do. He's a really great recruiter as well.
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VIEW ALCORN'S NEW ATHLETIC WEBSITE: CLICK HERE
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